Winning State Fair recipes

By Times-News

Published: Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 03:00 AM.

RALEIGH — Want to recreate some of the award-winning recipes from the North Carolina State Fair? We will include the first-place winners in the Food section the next couple of weeks. Check out some of the winning recipes from Oct. 21-27 below:

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In another mixing bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Add applesauce, butter and sour cream beat until blended. Stir into flour mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour into cupcake pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
Allow cupcakes to cool, and then use the cone method to remove center of cupcake to allow room for filling. Makes 24 to 30 cupcakes.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add apples, sugars, lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook until apples are tender and release their juices — about 10 minutes. In a small bowl or glass, combine cornstarch and water. Add to apples and stir, cooking until thickened. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Once cooled, spoon filling into the cooled cupcakes.

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and shortening. Add the powdered sugar and the caramel sauce alternately. Add salt. Then add water by the tablespoonful for thinning. Pipe icing onto cooled and filled cupcakes.

Source: Samantha Nadeau of Clayton, first place in the North Carolina Apple Growers Association’s Apple Recipe Contest on Oct. 21

To make potato crust: thaw tater tots and heat waffle iron. Spread tater tots to completely cover waffle iron. Close lid and cook for 5 minutes until crust is crispy and brown. Set aside.
To make frittata: Sauté onion and pepper in oil just until soft.
Beat the eggs vigorously and add the sautéed vegetables, Rotel tomatoes and chilies, cheese, cumin, jalapeno pepper and chilies. Salt and pepper to taste.
Place potato crust in frying pan and pour egg mixture over crust.
Arrange slices of tomato evenly on top of frittata and sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley.
Cook 2 minutes on stovetop on medium heat until edges are set.
Transfer skillet to oven and bake at 375 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cool before cutting into wedges and serving.
Makes 12 servings.

Source: Gail Fuller of Raleigh, first place in The Incredible Edible Egg Appetizer/Picnic Recipe Contest on Oct. 22

Brush bread with olive oil and broil until lightly toasted; toast both sides. Spread a thin layer of pesto on one side of bread. Top with a slice of prosciutto. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and pecans. Then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Will make 24 to 30 appetizer-size portions.

In a medium pot, combine sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Then turn down to simmer. In another pot, boil sweet potatoes until tender. Then cool slightly and slice into ¼- to ½-inch thick. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Fry bacon in a pan until crispy.
Grill hamburger patties over an open grill until done. Sprinkle with cayenne then place cheese over just before done to melt it a little. Spread 1 tablespoon of sauce on the bun. Place patty on potato bun, then add lettuce, sliced sweet potato, add bacon and serve.
Makes 8 servings.

Source: DeMarco Bizzell of Wendell, first place, North Carolina Cattleman’s Beef Council It’s All About Hamburger recipe contest on Oct. 25

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, orange zest and salt to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg; pulse just until dough forms. Transfer dough to prepared pan; with floured fingers and press the dough into the bottom of the pan in a single uniform layer. Place the pan into the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove from freezer and prick the bottom of the dough with a fork or toothpick. Then bake for 22 to 25 minutes.

In a large saucepan, bring butter, brown sugar and corn syrup to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly until smooth. Continue boiling without stirring until lightly darkened, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in cream, whiskey and salt. Then stir in pecans.
To assemble and bake: Spoon hot filling evenly over crust, using spoon to arrange and press in nuts so they fit snugly (create as flat a surface as possible). Bake until bubbling and amber colored, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
Using foil, lift bars from pan; peel off foil. Cut crosswise into four even strips; cut each strip into even rectangles to make 12 to 16 bars. For bite-size portions, cut into 32 two-inch cubes.

In a medium saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add zest of 1 orange (peeled into long strips with a vegetable peeler); simmer, swirling occasionally, until zest is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a plate. Dredge zest in sugar and thinly slice.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a fork, blend the dark brown sugar with the flour and softened butter. Set aside ½ cup of crumb mixture for the topping.
To the rest of the mixture, add the milk, egg, baking soda and vanilla. Gently fold together the ingredients until well- combined; stir in banana. Pour the batter into an ungreased 9-inch spring form pan.
Top with crumb mixture, sprinkle toffee bar pieces and then hazelnuts. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Source: Ashley Boyd of Hillsborough, first place in the adult category, King Arthur Flour Baking Contest on Oct. 27

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In a large bowl, combine all crust ingredients; blend at low speed or use pastry cutter until crumbly. Press mixture firmly in bottom of greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients; mix well. Spread evenly over partially baked crust. Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons margarine, powdered sugar and cherry liquid, adding enough cherry liquid until frosting is of desired spreading consistency; beat until smooth. Spread over cooled bars. Cut into desired shapes (rectangle or squares).

RALEIGH — Want to recreate some of the award-winning recipes from the North Carolina State Fair? We will include the first-place winners in the Food section the next couple of weeks. Check out some of the winning recipes from Oct. 21-27 below:

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In another mixing bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Add applesauce, butter and sour cream beat until blended. Stir into flour mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour into cupcake pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
Allow cupcakes to cool, and then use the cone method to remove center of cupcake to allow room for filling. Makes 24 to 30 cupcakes.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add apples, sugars, lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook until apples are tender and release their juices — about 10 minutes. In a small bowl or glass, combine cornstarch and water. Add to apples and stir, cooking until thickened. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Once cooled, spoon filling into the cooled cupcakes.

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and shortening. Add the powdered sugar and the caramel sauce alternately. Add salt. Then add water by the tablespoonful for thinning. Pipe icing onto cooled and filled cupcakes.

Source: Samantha Nadeau of Clayton, first place in the North Carolina Apple Growers Association’s Apple Recipe Contest on Oct. 21

To make potato crust: thaw tater tots and heat waffle iron. Spread tater tots to completely cover waffle iron. Close lid and cook for 5 minutes until crust is crispy and brown. Set aside.
To make frittata: Sauté onion and pepper in oil just until soft.
Beat the eggs vigorously and add the sautéed vegetables, Rotel tomatoes and chilies, cheese, cumin, jalapeno pepper and chilies. Salt and pepper to taste.
Place potato crust in frying pan and pour egg mixture over crust.
Arrange slices of tomato evenly on top of frittata and sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley.
Cook 2 minutes on stovetop on medium heat until edges are set.
Transfer skillet to oven and bake at 375 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cool before cutting into wedges and serving.
Makes 12 servings.

Source: Gail Fuller of Raleigh, first place in The Incredible Edible Egg Appetizer/Picnic Recipe Contest on Oct. 22

Brush bread with olive oil and broil until lightly toasted; toast both sides. Spread a thin layer of pesto on one side of bread. Top with a slice of prosciutto. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and pecans. Then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Will make 24 to 30 appetizer-size portions.

In a medium pot, combine sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Then turn down to simmer. In another pot, boil sweet potatoes until tender. Then cool slightly and slice into ¼- to ½-inch thick. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Fry bacon in a pan until crispy.
Grill hamburger patties over an open grill until done. Sprinkle with cayenne then place cheese over just before done to melt it a little. Spread 1 tablespoon of sauce on the bun. Place patty on potato bun, then add lettuce, sliced sweet potato, add bacon and serve.
Makes 8 servings.

Source: DeMarco Bizzell of Wendell, first place, North Carolina Cattleman’s Beef Council It’s All About Hamburger recipe contest on Oct. 25

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, orange zest and salt to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg; pulse just until dough forms. Transfer dough to prepared pan; with floured fingers and press the dough into the bottom of the pan in a single uniform layer. Place the pan into the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove from freezer and prick the bottom of the dough with a fork or toothpick. Then bake for 22 to 25 minutes.

In a large saucepan, bring butter, brown sugar and corn syrup to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly until smooth. Continue boiling without stirring until lightly darkened, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in cream, whiskey and salt. Then stir in pecans.
To assemble and bake: Spoon hot filling evenly over crust, using spoon to arrange and press in nuts so they fit snugly (create as flat a surface as possible). Bake until bubbling and amber colored, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
Using foil, lift bars from pan; peel off foil. Cut crosswise into four even strips; cut each strip into even rectangles to make 12 to 16 bars. For bite-size portions, cut into 32 two-inch cubes.

In a medium saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add zest of 1 orange (peeled into long strips with a vegetable peeler); simmer, swirling occasionally, until zest is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a plate. Dredge zest in sugar and thinly slice.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a fork, blend the dark brown sugar with the flour and softened butter. Set aside ½ cup of crumb mixture for the topping.
To the rest of the mixture, add the milk, egg, baking soda and vanilla. Gently fold together the ingredients until well- combined; stir in banana. Pour the batter into an ungreased 9-inch spring form pan.
Top with crumb mixture, sprinkle toffee bar pieces and then hazelnuts. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Source: Ashley Boyd of Hillsborough, first place in the adult category, King Arthur Flour Baking Contest on Oct. 27

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In a large bowl, combine all crust ingredients; blend at low speed or use pastry cutter until crumbly. Press mixture firmly in bottom of greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients; mix well. Spread evenly over partially baked crust. Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons margarine, powdered sugar and cherry liquid, adding enough cherry liquid until frosting is of desired spreading consistency; beat until smooth. Spread over cooled bars. Cut into desired shapes (rectangle or squares).